THE Western Bulldogs will compete in the VFLW Grand Final for the first time in five years after they easily accounted for Williamstown in yesterday’s preliminary final. The Bulldogs did a strong job shutting down the influence of the Seagulls’ usual best performers, and off the back of a strong defence and a variety of goalkickers got the job done.

It was the Bulldogs who got better use of the first centre bounce, calmly and methodically working the ball up to their attacking 50. However it was the Seagulls who got the first score of the game, but unfortunately for them it was only a behind.

After the ball spent much of the opening minutes of the quarter between the 50m arcs, eventually the Bulldogs did get the first goal of the game when Mali McLeod sewed the ball through a pack to kick truly.

Mary Sandral kicked the Bulldogs’ second about five minutes later, and momentum was just starting to build in the Dogs’ favour.

Defensive pressure was high from both teams, with clean disposals a really difficult task for all. Williamstown did have their chances inside 50 but could only muster two behinds from it, so as such the Bulldogs ultimately took a two-goal lead into the quarter time break.

The tight defensive pressure continued early in the second, so it took almost seven minutes for the first goal of the quarter. Crucially that goal did go to the Bulldogs thanks to Mia-Rae Clifford, who took a strong mark and then kicked truly.

Williamstown did finally work the ball down to their 50 and finally got a goal on the board through Chloe Bain, and the faces on her and her team mates as they celebrated that goal showed how much that goal was desperately needed.

However it was not long before Trinity Skenderis countered for the Bulldogs to restore the margin, and things were really starting to unravel for the Seagulls. Giving away stupid free kicks just made things even worse for those in blue and gold.

However, just as the game was starting to fall apart for the Seagulls, Emily Eaves stood up and kicked her side’s second goal for the term.

Eaves’ goal saw the margin sit at 14 points in the Bulldogs’ favour at the main break, but there was still the threat lurking of the Seagulls’ second half strength.

The Seagulls did start with a lot of the attacking momentum to start the third term, but thanks to Tamsin Crook and the rest of the Bulldogs’ defence the Seagulls could not do much with all of the repeat inside 50s they were racking up.

Unfortunately that was a sign of what was to come for the rest of the half for the Seagulls, with the minor premiers only putting two behinds on the board for the half.

This was in a stark contrast to the Bulldogs, who once they got some forward 50 time started to pule on the goals properly. Second half goals to Clifford, Tallia Pulcino and Eleanor Bishop, plus a pair of goals to Keeley Hardingham saw the Bulldogs accelerate away on the scoreboard, and leave the Seagulls’ hope of a fairytale first Grand Final trailing behind them in the wind.

WILLIAMSTOWN  0.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 (16)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.2 | 4.4 | 6.6 | 9.6 (60)

GOALS:
Williamstown: E. Eaves, C. Bain
Western Bulldogs: K. Hardingham 2, M. Clifford 2, T. Skenderis, M. Sandral, T. Pulcino, M. McLeod, E. Bishop

BEST:
Williamstown: E. Freeman, M. Williamson, S. Whiting, E. Eaves, P. Chisholm
Western Bulldogs: T. Crook, A. Snow, E. Bishop, M. McLeod, D. Carbone